Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-10
THE TELEs.R iPIs DEAL
Iur' Garrett Repudiates Published In.
ferSieWs-fc Can Do Nothing.

terSieWs-isc Can Do Nothing.
To the New YORK correspondent OF n Baltimore
paper VIZ. Robert Garrett said YESTERDAY: Il have
hthsrto absolutely refused 10 see any reporters,
anu 10 those who pressed themselves upon me /
nave simply replied: i have nothing to say As
Eon come, however, from my own city, feel III
IerentIy, and am ready 10 answer any questions
that properly can al This time" As to the truth
OF lastly oI The statements which had appe red
In the New York papers relative TO his dfsplea ,ure
al the sale Of the telegraph lines Mr. Garrett aid
NO reporter OF any other person has been a'thor-
Aed TO say anything coming from mr, and most
-oI The statements which have seen are either
false OF are InuCh-garbICd versions OF remarks
MADE by me III accidental private conversations"
when asked 10 make a statement with regard 10
puDhc matters affecting himself and the Baltimore
anu ONO Railroad company ne SAD: - lhlnh
you anu every body else Will recognize that before
my arrival IN Baltimore, when / shall be able TO
IOph INTO the details OF various matters, IL "ouIu
not be proper FOR me 10 enter into that subject.
VIII say, however that when the right period ar
llFtS shall be both willing and DESTROYS 10 make
such a statement OF the situation present and
prUspeCtiyc) or the affairs of the Baltimore and
Ohio and such explanations OF many matters
which have been wholly misunderstood as feel
sure Will be entirely satisfactory TO my friends,
and trust equally SO TO the public and all par
ties concerned. i would like To be more explicit,
but, rs said before the details OF recent tranSac-
tons are not fully known 10 me- and therefore, IL
Is impossible for me 10 say what my future ac-
tions viii be-" MIR. Garrett and party left New
York for Baltimore sunday.
Mr. GARRETT IGNORED.
Though Mr.. Garrett was necessarily very
guarded IN what he had TO say, his New York
friends do not hesitate to speak openly. They say
Mr.. Garrett did not know until he reached New
York that the Baltimore and Ohio Telegraph lines
had been sold to Gould, and he was naturally very
indignant that he had been totally ignored In the
matter. During his absence Nj. VIM. F. Burns
had full authority 10 act as president OF the Bati
Burns as president, Mr.. Garrett could not, they
argue, upset the sale II he should desire TO do so
mated that the terms of the sale OF the Baltimore
and ohio Telegraph to Gould are better than
appear from the published statement. II this Is
true, Mr.. CARROTS friends say he will be better
satisfied with the deal than he Is now but that he
will still have cause 10 feel indignant at the high
handed way In which he was put aside They
declare very 5toutly that great deal OF scheming
has been going on during his absence, and that ne
has been un1ustly placed by false friends in
geously without an opportunity for hearing.
Mr. MORGAN ON THE CONTRACT.
MI. ]. Pierpont Morgan said: ''The contract be-
tween the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the
Western Union, after protracted negotiations, was
duly executed last Thursday by authorized oficers
or both companies under seal. The property was
delivered TO the purchaser upon that day. The
contract was made by the advice and with the
consent OF the syndicate, IN accordance with the
syndicate agreement with the railroad company.
The contract Is In my opinion, an emlnently salts
factory one ~ both sides and dc not think any
one can gafnSay II. There IS no one more deeply
Interested in the carrying out OF the contract as
well as the syndicate agreement with the railroad
company, than Mr.. Garrett; and, having conf
dence IN his judgment, am satisfied he win look
upon II in the same light"
''THE RULE OF GOULD
The New York Sun OF Sunday contains the fol-
lowing leading editorial on the telegraph deal:
81 he Times this morning tntimates that the WeS-
tern Union Will not get the Baltimore and Ohio
Telegraph system because Mr.. Garrett Will oppose
the transfer. Mr.. Garrett is rOwerless In the mat
ter, II for other reason than that Mr. Gould has
no competitor for the property, and, inasInuch as
Us sale Is compulsory and he IS the only purchaser,
II must go To him. Mr.. Gould, until few days
since, had a competitor for 1t In the shape OF a
western association or business men who were
willing TO give higher price than Mr.. Gould has
taken the property out OF the market has made il
impossible 10 proceed further In the matter even
gaa ana praetlea6ie opportunity were still
OF the Western Union IN the undisputed monopoly
.. SO great and vital public service the tele-
tent or resignation by the public The dis
trust OF MI. Gould and his associates and
the suspicion that attaches to their meth
and TOO well rooted in the public mind to admit of
sucn men being accepted as the trustees of great
puphc service. We should not be prepared to
intruSt Mr.. Gould and his colleagues with the
administration Of the postal system OF our country
III WOuld imply In the public estimation a grave
calamity And yet his administration OF the tele-
graph Is likely 10 be much more pTe;udicial to
pubic and private interests than his administra-
tion OF the postal system could possibly be- 1t is
a long lane that has no turning but IL NAV as
We'll De understood now as later that the Govern
mem OI the united states shall not acquire the
telegraphS OF the country, and that no Inachtna-
lions OF MI. Gould and no oppression of 1ndt-
EldualS, pubic or private, viii ever blackmai and
cOerce the people OF this country into consentfng
that the Western Union shall be unloaded upon
the Government. And there Will be other and
independent telegraphS, too."
CALL FOR GOVERNMENT LINES.
The Chicago Journal OF Saturday morning says:
"The apparent fact that the sale OF the Baltimore
and Ohio Telegraph to Jay Gould has been con-
sunmated Is calculated TO excite the gravest ap-
prehenSi0nS In regard To the money power that one
Nan may possess The telegraphs OF the country
convey intelligence regarding every transaction in
business, every act OF the Government every
movement IN politics, every important personal
ana domestic relation. With telegraphic key
board In Jay GOuldS back ONCE he Will have his
nnger on every pulSation OF trade OF f1pance OF
politics. or onicial action, and OF domestic life
He who shall own the telegraphs of the country
can advance or depreSs prices by which thousands
or HdIuOnS may be ruined In an hour: he NAV con-
trOl The Government itself; his evil or unclean
presence may De felt in every home. Possibly one
man might not abuse this Stupendous grasp on the
slais oI the country; out other men would, and II
Il 700 great danger 10 1OrSee with cOmplacency
III Is evident that If competition and all lis
results are 10 De excluded from the private admin
latratOn OF such great public service as the tele
graph the government must intervene for the
projection OF the people But the United States
should not buy existing lines. telegraph lines
cJI4I De established 10 every point reached by The
western | Mon, over every railway and most road
LOT 0Le-tenth part or the nominal value OF jay
GJUtIs combination A telegraph Office could be
paced In every important post Office and rail-
way station In the country Tor a sum or money
lhdt WOULD not ScnSiDly reduce the surplus in the
I'LL states Treasury. The work should be
uni-Ttaken at once, unless monopoly shall re-
move ana keep It's greedy and oppressive hands OF
from the existing lines"
ION